A Star Just As Bright
by Fellow-Sparrow
Summary: Weeks after the cruel events of Bespin, Leia is plagued with nightmares that she suspects might actually mean more. With Han gone & Luke just as stressed as she, Leia withholds from telling anyone about her troubles & suffers alone. When an diplomatic mission goes horribly wrong & her nightmare starts to play out, the only one to save her is who she'd least expect…Vader.
1. World on Fire

**AN:** I love Luke and Vader stories and thought that Leia deserved one too with the galaxy's #1 dad. So here is my contribution to the Star Wars fandom with a father / daughter AU.

 **Summary:** After Luke leaves on a mission with his squadron,Leia decides she should do the same to help get her head off Han and the horrible nightmares she's been having. Her mission, however, doesn't quite go as planned when they fall under attack and Vader shows up. During the Rebels attempted escape, Leia is horribly injured and would be left for dead if the Dark Lord himself hadn't saved her. She was just to be used as bait for his son, but after a startlingly discovery, Lord Vader by no means plans on letting her go.

 **Disclaimer:** Surprise! I don't own Star Wars! Say wha? Yeah, crazy stuff, I know. All rights go to George Lucas and Disney.

* * *

 **Chapter I**

* * *

 _Leia gasped out another silent scream, the contaminated air burning her from the inside out. It seeped into the pores of her skin, melting it. When she tried to look for help, there was only a blinding brightness. She was blind._

 _Lava seeped closer and kissed the tips of her fingers, catching them ablaze in brilliant white flares. She struggled to shift away, withered and thrashed to escape the white fire. But they clung to her flammable flesh, crawling upwards and leaving black, scorched trails in their wake. Her skin withered and singed and Leia became overwhelmed with the need to vomit at the repulsive smell._

 _The smell of her burning alive._

 _The smell cleared her head, if for a pitiable moment, and she realized that a forgotten limb wasn't in flames and burning how the rest of her was. Her arms were scorched black and limp, like the dried out wick of a candle. Her chest swelled and would soon burst from the heat then collapse in on itself, like a poor bird that was prepared for a feast. Her left leg still burned, the noise as sickening as it hissed and sizzled constantly. But her right leg…it was completely numb to a point._

 _With the remaining intact muscles in her neck and upper back, she shifted to catch a glimpse of her lower body. She blinked past the heat and blinding flames, trying to focus with what was left of her charred eyesight to her right leg._

 _A large, dark mass filled her narrow vision at a distance far too close at where she rested. She squinted, confused until realization engulfed her hungrier than the flames. She reeled from the sight, only to remain pinned to where she had fallen._

 _A chunk of stone sat securely against her lower thigh, severing the joining flesh and bone of where her femur met her kneecap. Her right leg was gone, a fat stump of what it had been. Forgotten under the intense pain of the flames. Her neck muscles gave way and she sunk back into the warm ash, silently screaming for no one's ears while the flames consumed her._

Leia lurched upwards from the bed, her mouth still agape from where her nightmare had left her off. The moist bed sheets clung to her sticky skin, prolonging the impression of being smothered to death in flames. She fought at them anxiously, clawing them off and ripping herself free from the suffocating sensation.

She kicked sheets to the foot of the bed and tried to catch her breath. She was shaking uncontrollably and couldn't get herself to stop. The room was hot, a poor reminder of humid air of where she had been in her dream. Red light shown from her bedside onto her arm, displaying her pale flesh in a red hue. She made herself stare at it, forcing her brain to accept that she wasn't on fire nor had she ever been.

She was fine.

Leia sighed and wiped a shaky hand across her forehead, silently relieved to feel liquid where there had once been a trail of ash and flame. The fire wasn't there; it had never been there. Her right leg was still intact. She wiggled her toes. Yes, still intact. It was just a horrible dream and nothing more. When was the last time she a nightmare? Leia searched her memories until the answer leaped out at her.

Hoth, right before they were attacked and forced to retreat. It didn't make sense to her at the time, the events befuddling and unfamiliar to her. But that had all changed on Bespin, and the pieces sank into places she hadn't even known were laid out. The orange lights that shown from the floor, a box of golden limbs, halls of white and a man in blue.

Leia curled in on herself, resting her head atop her knees as she recalled the rest and what it led up to. A monster in black, following and watching them from ever corner, a secret deal being stuck, an ambitious man waiting in the shadows, and then there was Han. He was the only one who she could see clearly in the dream. They embraced, and as she went to pull away she noticed he wouldn't let go. Stuck against his chest and wrapped in his arms, she was forced to stare up into his face. She'd been horrified with what she saw, the face of the man she loved twisted in pain, frozen with his mouth agape midway through scream.

She hadn't told anyone about that nightmare as she simply dismissed it as it got in the way of her work. It had been nothing but a horrible dream at the time. But after Bespin she hadn't been so sure. Her mind touched at the idea of it being a vision but she discarded the notion. She wasn't like Luke, who was a Jedi like his father.

Leia hadn't been the only one seriously affected after Bespin. Sweet, wanna be Hero like his father, Luke. Her heart still ached for him. The way he mumbled and groaned in pain as he clutched the seared lump of where his right hand once was, before Vader took that from him too.

Vader.

That no-good Sith _monster_. That machine had taken everything from her. Everything. The thought of him made Leia feel like she was on fire all over again but for a complete different reason. She was angry. Furious. And there was little next to nothing she could do about it at the moment. Loosing Han to the bounty hunter ate at her every day, Luke had become a shell of what he once was and the Alliance was low on just about everything. Crew, supplies, ships, usable information that could be used against the Empire…

The Alliance was in shambles and Leia didn't feel much different and the only two people who could help her were either frozen in carbonite or not mentally all there.

Leia stood and walked to the fresher on the far end of the room where a glowing green light helped guide the way. The lights turned on automatically at the movement and she stopped at the sight of herself in the mirror. To put it simply she looked like a mess. Her brown hair had come loose from its bun and was skewered in all directions, even sticking to her face.

She brushed the wild strands away from her eyes, her fingers softly trailing over the ghostly complexion of her skin. She knew she was pale but this…her fingers stopped on her cheeks that were usually rosy. She took a deep breath and leant against the wall, shivering the sudden coolness.

Her dream still plagued her, constantly waiting to be acknowledged on the outskirts of her mind like it was important and shouldn't be tossed away. But if it was just a dream then shouldn't it?

Or was it an insight of what was to come, giving flashes of images like the ones she received before Bespin.

Was it just a nightmare or something more?

The sound of shuffling broke her of her impractical pondering. Leia turned her head towards the entryway, the interior lighting reflecting of mended gold plating.

"You're up early, See-Threepio. Feeling recharged?"

She winced at the sound of her voice, it rasped as though she'd been shouting all night, which she might have.

She turned to face See-Threepio who was now standing at the doorway, his glowing eyes scanning the small room inquisitively before settling on her.

"I'm feeling quite revitalized, your highness. Thank you for concern on my well-being. Might I ask you the same? Your night, that is," the protocol droid asked, his head tilting down at her, as if trying to study her features.

For a moment Leia wondered if See-Threepio had been woken to the sound of her screaming in her sleep, which she wasn't certain truly happened or not. Her throat seemed to testify that she had.

"Do I not look alright?" she asked. She leaned off the wall and crossed her arms across her chest, ignoring the squirming feeling in her stomach at his reply. "What is it? You can tell me, Threepio."

See-Threepio's head snapped back as if shocked and he made an unsure noise. Leia watched him, nervously waiting to hear the confession that she was dreading. He moved forward and lightly gestured an arm toward her.

"Last night it appeared you were experiencing quite an eventful sleep, milady. More than once I was powered up in the assumption that something had gone terribly wrong while I was offline." Treepio sounded near frantic at the recollection of when he thought there was danger. Typical of the droid. "There was never any danger, or at least my sensors appeared there not to be so, as it was just the two of us in the room. But each time I would awaken to find you…screaming."

It felt as though the floor shifted from beneath her and Leia found herself leaning back on the wall again. She knew she had been, her sore throat was proof of that. But she didn't want to have anyone else know, especially someone who could never figuratively keep his mouth shut.

She moved quickly, making her vision swim for a moment before it caught up. See-Threepio was just as startled at her sudden movement and jerked back, his arms lifting up in surprise. Leia was in his metal face the next second.

"Threepio, I'm counting on you so you better listen up." Leia muttered lowly. She pointed a finger up at him, which his head snapped to as he muttered an ' _oh my'_.

"Promise me that you won't tell a soul about what happened last night. This can't be getting out because a lot of people depend on me and I cannot have them thinking I can't handle the responsibly of my position."

See-Threepio looked nervously at her pointed finger then back to her. "I understand, your highness, but," he faltered. "what about master Skywalker? Surely you trust that your secret will remain safe with him? I believe he is quite trustworthy, and dare I even say that Artoo is rather dependable at times."

Leia sighed. In truth she wanted to speak to someone about it but Luke wasn't in the right set of mind either at the moment. After Bespin he changed and Leia had countless times tried to reach out to him, convince him that he could confide what ever was bothering him with her. But each time he pulled away and insisted he was _fine_ , which she knew he most certainly was not.

She wanted to tell Luke, she really did, but she couldn't add that extra stress on him when he was hauling so many of the Alliances' already. She would tell him eventually, but only when the time was right for them both.

"I do trust Luke, more than anyone, but this is rather personal and I'm not ready to share it just yet. You understand that, don't you Threepio?"

The protocol droid was silent for a moment before he did a slow nod. "If that is what you believe is best, your highness." he paused, his gold eyes beaming on at her. "Though I do hope you reach out to someone about it soon for it to be fixed. Might I suggest the base's medical staff? I'm sure they can come up with some sort of remedy for your predicament."

Leia rolled her eyes at that. She couldn't imagine having to explain to the Alliance medic about her night terrors and how they might possibly be foreshadowing a future soon to come. They'd either deem her far too stressed out or on the verge of mental insanity. If she let See-Threepio come along and explain all what he's witnessed in that over dramatic fashion of his then they might actually think her to be.

"I don't think its something a prescription can fix, Threepio," she smiled faintly at him. "but thanks. I promise to tell someone about it soon."

None the wiser the gold protocol perked up. "Glad to hear it, your highness!" he said then waddled back into the room. He wasn't away for five seconds before he came scurrying back. Leia had been deciding whether to close the door on him or not before he reached her. He did before she could decide.

"Princess! Your comlink is alerting you to a call and I think it possibly may be urgent!" his metallic hand reached out and exposed her comlink. She snatched it and took a step away.

"Thanks."

"You're most very wel-"

He didn't get to finish. She closed the door before he could. Leia stared at the small device in wonderment. It was early according to the standard timezone of the planet where they were currently scouting out on. No one should be calling her unless it was like what Threepio had said, it was something urgent.

She accepted the call while she stared at herself in the mirror, trying to get her reflection to add up with the strong, false voice that whoever was calling her was about to hear.

* * *

Leia tried not to make eye contact with the image of the young woman who was following in step with her to her right. Out of the corner of her eye she swore she saw them trying to catch a glimpse. Leia ignored it and kept moving, her boots clicking loudly on the stone flooring in the empty corridor.

Everyone was still asleep and Leia envied them. There was nothing more she wanted than a decent nights rest without startling nightmares and waking up in a cold sweat. She was tired of these nightmares or visions or whatever they were. She needed a break but the Galaxy seemed to think otherwise.

She paused at the silver doors that would lead her into the conference room where everyone was waiting on her. A guard stood on watch to her left next to the entrance but she ignored him. But the girl watching her couldn't be ignored. She had to confront her.

Her brown eyes appeared tired, stressed. Dark bags hung under her eyes from countless sleepless night. She looked pale, to put it nicely, like she hadn't seen sunlight in days. Her hair was dark brown and appeared hastily braided while the strands were still wet as though she just hopped out of the fresher. Her outfit was clean and neat and Leia was proud that she was at least able to find something that looked presentable about her.

Leia stood there staring at her reflection for some time before the guard to her left shifted uncomfortably and politely grunted. She snapped from her trance and faced him, nodding that she was ready to enter. He didn't say anything as he swiped his card and the doors opened before her.

Mon Mothma was at the head of the table, Ackbar to her right, as they seemed to be in hushed discussion. The rest of the room full of high Allaince members seemed to be conversing amongst their own, that is until Princess Leia entered the room. Slowly the noise level seemed to dip as their eyes one by one turned to her. She put on a neutral expression, not making eye contact with anyone as she strode towards her usual seat.

In wasn't until she was seated that she lifted her stare and immediately she found herself trapped in Luke's blue gaze. She stared for a moment, transfixed, as she scurried to find an answer as to how Luke obtained the level of clearance to be emitted into this meeting. He attended briefings as Commander of the Rouge Squadron before an assault, but this was new.

Her heart fluttered in her chest when he didn't break eye contact. In fact, he looked as though he were trying to figure out something, like something was amiss. She frowned, if Luke felt that she was distressed about something then he would have to come and find her later on and ask.

She was not submitting to his Jedi trick and let him read her emotions. If he wanted to know what was wrong then he was just going to have to ask her like a normal person, damnit.

With that new resolve she looked away, but not without giving him a disapproving glare first. She hoped peeved and annoyed were reaching his Jedi senses from his side of the table.

"Welcome, Princess," Admiral Ackbar greeted first. "Thank you for arriving as quickly as you have. I know this is a peculiar hour for a meeting but I believe we were left with little choice."

"Hardly an odd hour on my part, I've been up for quite some time now." She nodded in greeting as he did to her. Almost immediately after her words Leia felt Luke's gaze shoot back to her. She swallowed and fought the urge to meet his. "I presume that everyone here has been authorized to be in the know of this meetings classified material? That is, if it's as eminent as you've stressed over the invitation report?"

If it were possible to read Luke's emotions then she was sure she felt him extremely confused with her curt attitude and if not a little hurt by it.

The Mon Calamari's large, expressive eyes snapped to Luke in that instant. Good. Then he got the hint of whom she was speaking about. He cleared his throat and nodded, trying not to look again at the X-Wing pilot.

"I can guarantee that all who sit here before us now have been given special authorized permission, as they are beneficial in what lays before us, Princess." He paused, as if waiting to see if she would object to his statement, which she did not so he went on.

"If some of you recall our alley Commander Sato, leader of the Phoenix Squadron, then you know how important he is our cause. He was on a mission of obtaining an Imperial defect and bringing them to our ranks before the planet's Imperial Governor got wind of it and foiled the plan."

Leia looked to Mothma who seemed just as determined as Ackbar. Too determined. It was almost as if she was straining to put forth all her concentration on what he was saying and not look at anyone in particular. If Leia knew any better she would guess that Mothma was avoiding making eye contact with someone in the room and she had a good feeling about who that was.

Ackbar pushed a button on a held hand device and above the center of the table a blue holoprojection of a planet lit up. Leia's eyes fell on the small, blue Star Destroyers that floated around it. A blockade. Her heart constricted as the realization behind Luke's random clearance to being in the meeting clicked. He was most definitely an important person in this meeting.

 _Oh Luke, what have you agreed to?_

"An Imperial blockade has been patrolling the planet Lothal's orbit for the past thirteen standard hours." The Calamari continued on. "As far as we know, Commander Sato is still stuck somewhere on the surface with his squadron and the defect. It is only a matter of time before they are captured and we lose both an important alley and possible valuable information against the Empire."

"You plan on causing a diversion." Leia said, speaking more to herself out loud. Several heads turned towards her with the same assumption. Ackbar nodded.

"A window for the Commander to escape. Precisely."

Leia took a deep breath as she tried to keep her posture regal and not show how nervous she felt. "That is, if they're able to brake orbit. I would imagine that the skies would be filled with TIE's ready to intercept them."

General Rieekan, who appeared quite content in his chair next to Mothma, spoke up. "Oh, its no doubt that the skies would be littered with them. It's our hope that our diversion disrupts their scanners and confuse them long enough for Sato's team to break by undetected, we hope."

"You _hope_?" Leia mocked in bewilderment and arched an eyebrow. "Do you not have faith in your own plan, General Rieekan? Is this entire mission based on a feeble hope and crossed fingers? Have you not thought of the lives of our pilots that you're putting on the line for this precarious plan of yours?"

The room fell into a hushed silence. The air grew thick and heavy with the unsaid thoughts and emotions of the other council members. General Rieekan was still before a slow, almost pleased grin stretched onto his face. "Actually," he said drolly. "The honors weren't mine, _Princess_."

It was then that Mothma turned to her. "The plan was originally mine, Princess Leia."

Leia blinked in shock. Mothma? It had been Mothma's plan to send one of their own squadron's to help the ones stuck on Lothal? To practically send them to their guaranteed demises?

"I've already agreed to it, your highness." Luke spoke up and Leia's eyes snapped to him. Her stare must've been intense because Luke gave way easily and sifted almost regretfully in his seat. Good. She wanted him to know she was upset with him and his reckless decision-making.

"You'll be up against an entire fleet of Star Destroyer's without any further backup," She raised her voice. The other council members were staring at her but she didn't care. She needed Luke to see how serious of a situation he'd just agreed to assert himself into, even if it meant calling him out in front of the council. "And more could possibly show up. What if Vader were to? What then?"

Luke's blue eyes seemed to widen at that. His lips left slightly agape as he just stared at her. Fear and…something else, swam rapidly over his expression before he slowly shook his head as if to clear it.

Ackbar cut in then. "We have reports that Vader is currently occupying Imperial Center with his fleet there. Even if he did hear of our assault on the blockade, our pilots will be long gone before he has time to set coordinates to make the jump."

She looked back at Luke who seemed to visibly relax back into his seat at the information. She knew it had been wrong to bring up Vader but she was desperate to convince Luke to stay. She couldn't lose him too.

"You see Le-Princess," Luke hastily corrected himself. He always spoke formal to her in front of others. "My team will be in and out before anymore Imperial reinforcements arrive. We can do this, my team and I. I know that we can."

It seemed as though the whole council turned their gaze on her, holding their breaths to see if she'd continue to resist or finally give in. Her word alone didn't matter anyway in the end, but she wasn't going to sit by without giving her opinion and making a reasonable argument.

Stubbornness won over and she nodded her head, not trusting herself to speak in case other fine chose of words made their way out. Luke looked just as pleased as Ackbar that she complied and decided not to continue arguing. She knew Luke would've gotten lost in her words if she made it more political than battle strategizing anyway.

The rest of the meeting went just how she had dreaded and Luke had hoped, less political and more plan of action based. She made sure to watch Luke throughout the entire meeting, study every little detail of his face and look for signs of nervousness or regret. If she had then she would've jumped in, but unfortunately he seemed just as determined to follow the mission through, or at least appear that way before the council so they could take him more seriously.

* * *

After the meeting concluded and people were organizing their things, Leia didn't spare an extra moment of her time and made her way for the exit. Faintly she could hear Mothma call after her but she didn't let that disrupt her stride. She needed to get back to her room and cool down. Her head was swimming with the loss of Han, her still fresh nightmare and now the fact that Luke was being thrown into a battle where the odds were stacked against with several tons of Star Destroyers.

She'd just rounded the corner that led to her room at the end of the hall when she felt someone latch onto her wrist. She spun around so quick with her fist raised to fight them off that if the person hadn't had inhuman speed then she would've punched them square in the face. It was a good thing Luke was a Jedi. That possibly saved him from a black eye and that would've been awkward to explain, especially after their little dispute in the conference room.

Yes, most definitely a good thing she didn't hit him.

Luke looked stunned at her, his eyes wide before he slowly let go of her wrist and his calm mask returned. "Are you alright? Lately you've been really stressed out and back at the meeting-"

"Oh wow, you really are a Jedi, aren't you? Good job figuring that one out, Luke." She snapped and yanked her other wrist free and stepped back. "How could you? How could you just agree to leave and go on some suicidal mission like some _Force-sacred_ hero? And don't even _think_ about bringing up the Death Star."

"Leia…" He looked horribly guilty all of a sudden.

 _Oh, Luke…_

Force, why did he always have to appear so distraught and take the blame when it's never his fault? He was too good for any of this and didn't deserve what the galaxy has thrown at him and taken from him all at the same time.

"If there's a chance at rescuing those other pilots then I gotta take it. And that Imperial defect? Think of how that could benefit us, Leia. We can't let this pass us by without fighting for it. Yeah, it's really risky, but it's also the right thing to do, so trust me on this."

She didn't say anything and moved forward. Luke seemed to know before she did the action because he opened his arms and wrapped them comfortingly around her. She inhaled the scent of her dear friend and almost laughed at how he pretty much smelt like interior of his X-Wing. A trademark of all the Alliance's pilots.

"You know I won't be alone out there. And if things get tough," she felt him shrug as he held her. "Then we blast off. We're a distraction, not an escort."

Little did he know did any of that help comfort her. She was still tempted to plead with him to stay but that'd be selfish of her. Those Rebels needed help and the Alliance could really use any information offered to get the upper hand over the Empire after Hoth.

Her nightmare flashed in her mind and she clung to Luke tighter. If it hadn't been her burning alive but Luke in her place…she most likely would've locked him in the fresher in her bedroom to keep him from going. She couldn't ever risk losing Luke too.

He was all she had left in the entire Galaxy. He was her only true friend and what she considered family.

"I promise I'll come back, Leia." He said soothingly as he consolingly rubbed her back repeatedly. She just clung to him harder, not daring to release him in case fate took him from her too. "I won't leave you behind. I promise."

Bespin flashed in her mind.

" _I love you."_

" _I know."_

* * *

 ** _AN:_**

Sorry for any mistakes. I'll go over this again soon. Reviews would be greatly appreciated to keep this baby rolling.


	2. Till we see each other again

**Disclaimer:** Star Wars belongs to Disney and are a creation of George Lucas. Thanks G-man.

* * *

 **Chapter II**

* * *

Leia clenched her jaw and stood back as pilots and mechanics scurried around the hanger bay in a routine hurry. The early hours of the morning seeming to have no influence of the pace of the crew as they properly equipped the X-Wings for their secure departure. The scene was loud, haste and a bit disorganized to an outsiders eye, but the Alliance had grown accustomed to being placed in such short time predicaments that they now considered themselves specialists.

Leia jumped when a short mechanic with his hat cap placed low nf his head ran into her shoulder, nearly causing him to drop the power conduit that he'd been retrieving from a recently fueled up craft. He looked up at her, dazed from the line of his work until his eyes filled with recognition then finally shock.

He was young, to Leia's brief observation, and his tired blue eyes reminded her of Luke's.

"I'm sorry, Princess!" he swallowed and awkwardly managed the heavy weight of the conduits tangled in his arms. "I didn't see ya there!"

Leia managed a thin smile and gestured him off, insisting it was fine and that she was the one in their way and not the other way around. He nodded and scurried away, his focus quickly returning to his assigned task.

She briefly amused herself with the thought of Luke working as part of the flight crew and help prep the X-Wings instead of flying them. It was almost funny to imagine, her friend in a tan guise, scurrying around the hanger instead of his now signature orange flight suit.

 _I wouldn't have to worry about him every time he flew off for a mission._

The Alliance base was by no means a safe refuge for a long period of time, with the Empire constantly creeping up on them, but it was a hell of a lot safer than meeting their TIE's in close combat and trying to blow one another out of the sky.

But Luke would never agree to sitting around and hoping for his assigned X-Wing and pilot to return safely as most of the mechanical crew did. No, Luke would want to be up there, defending the innocent and the ones he cared for. She wondered if that was a heroic trait he received from his father.

She turned to the rising hum of one of the X-Wings as they started up their engines. The squirming feeling in the pit of her stomach reminded Leia of her apprehension and the reason for her being there. She had come in search of Luke to wish him luck but had yet to find him.

"Princess!"

Leia turned to find the leader of the Red Squadron, Wedge Antilles, making his way over with his helmet under arm. He stopped at her side, his shoulders rising and falling with each breath from being hard at work as everyone else.

"Lookin' for Skywalker too, huh?" he grinned and shook his head. "You'd think being leader of the Squadron for this mission he'd be first one here."

She did a quick scan of the hanger again, searching for someone who wasn't there. Somehow she already knew that, but it was Wedge who confirmed her suspicions and made her feel like she'd been wasting her time.

"I doubt he'd changed his mind," she murmured, her eyes drifting to the hanger doors for when she knew Luke would be jogging through with Artoo right on his heels any moment.

"Nah, he's not the type to let fear creep up on his last minute and hold him back. He may show up with one leg in and one leg out with his flight suit half zipped, but he'll be here. You can't hold that kid back from nothin' he's got his head set on." he teased and Leia casted him a short glance, wondering if he was just trying to lighten the mood before the teams approaching departure or he was just that confident in his friend.

"You'd follow Luke into any battle he's determined on, wouldn't you?"

Wedge's smile seemed to tone down at that, his gaze set and more earnest. "Of course, Princess. I trust Luke's judgment completely."

"Because he's a Jedi?" she insisted and the pilot shook his head after a thought.

"Because he's one of the best damn pilots the Alliance has ever seen and a good friend," he said then a smile ghosted his lips. "But don't tell him that. Can't have him gettin' any more cocky than he already is."

Leia let herself smile at that, imagining Luke brush off the praise and insist on Wedge being the better pilot and a more loyal friend. She supposed they were pretty dependent on one another after being the only two surviving pilots after the destruction of the Death Star.

She calmed at the thought that Wedge would be flying out there with Luke on this risky mission. The newly appointed Commander of the Red Squadron will watch out for Luke whenever she couldn't. She was grateful Luke had as much loyal companions as he did.

"I have a feeling he's already aware of your appraisal in him, Commander. He's annoyingly good at that."

Wedge smirked and nodded in agreement. "Sneaky little bashful that one, I swear."

Leia grinned, thinking how she couldn't agree more. "You two fly safe out there." She instructed him more sincerely. "Watch each other's backs and don't do anything too reckless."

 _Don't do anything that could get Luke killed._

The X-Wing pilot held up his hands. "Sorry, your highness, but no promises there." He chuckled and started receding to return to his vessel. "But I'll keep an eye out for Luke." He disclosed more genuinely. "We'll be back before you can say Calamari," he joked then paused, as if waiting to see if she'd actually take him up on it.

Either to amuse herself or the pilot, Leia opened her mouth and started to pronounce the first syllable. Wedge was gone in the next second, having turned and sprint for his X-Wing. She rolled her eyes, silently admitting that his joking helped lift the anxiousness she'd been feeling before he arrived.

A sudden _swoosh_ of the hanger entrance doors parting informed Leia that someone new had entered the scene. Out of the corner of her eye she saw another pilot pause during ascent up the latter and grin in the newcomer's direction.

If it wasn't the change in the room's atmosphere that gave away who it was then it was definitely the relentless chirps and whistles of a certain astromech that did. Leia spun around; her arms crossed and ready to confront the tardy pair as they approached.

Luke halted in his tracks, Artoo nearly bumping into the back of his legs. Already he was looking guilty for something that probably wasn't his fault.

Leia sighed and reminded herself she wasn't here to scold Luke in his agreement for this mission or to convince him in staying. She thought long and hard about it back in her chambers and decided that silently fuming over it wasn't going to help anybody – _Luke especially._

The last thing she wanted was for him to be stressed out and distracted before a mission.

She uncrossed her arms and moved forward, Luke following her action until they were up close. She always hated this – hated seeing her friends away and wishing them luck because Force knows that they'd need it.

"I spoke to Wedge," Leia started, shoving down the anxious feeling that was starting to climb up her throat. "He seems to think this mission will be a breeze as long as he's got the ' _Hero'_ covering his tail. I expect him to do the same for you."

Luke looked clouded, opening his mouth then closing it again. "You're alright with me going then? I thought-"

Leia shook her head and swallowed the response that wanted to claim he'd better stay if he knew what was good for him. "I trust you, Luke." she assured him and tried to smile to show her confidence. "If there's anyone who can go up against three Star Destroyers and hold off numerous squads of TIE's, it's you."

Luke smiled encouragingly at her, his blue eyes revealing his relief at her admission. "Wedge really must've tried to humor you while I was away," he snickered then. "Must have been horrible."

She laughed lightly at that and in good humor swatted his arm. "He had some fine choice of words about you too you know."

Luke was still grinning. "Like what?" he challenged.

"I'll tell you when you get back."

Luke pulled her in for a hug and Leia wrapped her arms around him securely, letting his calming presence wash over her as she tried to forget her nervousness and relax. When he started to pull away to leave, Leia reached out and grasped his sleeve. He looked back at her as if expecting that she'd changed her mind about the operation.

Leia paused too, wondering if now was really the best time to ask him what she's been wanting to for the past few days. When she looked into his confused blue eyes and thought about what was ahead of him, she decided that now was _not_ the right time. She'd ask about her nightmares after his return.

"Sorry," she apologized and let him go but he seemed hesitant to walk away. She waved him off. "It's nothing, really."

"Are you sure?"

A nearby X-Wing's engines came to life and Luke's gaze darted to them like an alarm. He still needed to check with his crew and make sure his fighter was set and ready for take off.

Leia nodded and gave him a little shove. "It can wait for when you get back,"

When he opened his mouth as if to protest she cut him off. "Hurry up before your squadron appoints a new commander and leaves without you. There's no time for standing around," She looked down to his right leg. "Tell him, Artoo."

The asrtomech's blue and silver domed head swiveled in Luke's direction in a flurry of beeps. Luke looked at his droid and frowned, knowing that Artoo was probably ripping him one for being late earlier and how the Princess was right.

Leia watched the back of his bright orange flight suit as he ran off and swerved around the passing mechanics and repair droids. She couldn't quite explain how, but she had a feeling that Luke was going to be all right and she was worrying over nothing. If she learned anything about the Tatooine native from their years spent together, it was that he could take care of himself and somehow always defy the odds.

She watched from afar as Luke was the last to climb into the cockpit of his X-Wing and the heavy canopy slowly fall overhead. For some reason she couldn't get herself to look away even though his image was muddled through the protective glass. A sudden menacing sensation washed over her then, almost causing her to bolt forward and call out for him not to go.

The feeling was gone quickly though and she was able to hold herself back from doing anything that might've embarrassed herself or Luke.

Hoping that it meant nothing, a possible side affect of stress perhaps, she watched as the X-Wings slowly lifted from the hanger floor and up past the ceiling that parted for their departure.

She immediately left as soon as Luke's was out of sight.

* * *

Leia cursed her luck and spun on the man that stopped her. She'd been on her way to her room when an officer called out to her just before she could turn the last corner and escape the busy hall. After many near sleepless nights she was going to attempt a quick nap since it was still so early in the morning. She didn't think the Alliance would miss her for an hour at the most.

The officer collected himself quickly after the glare she pointed him and stood properly. "Your highness, the Alliance Council is holding another meeting and I was instructed on informing you."

When she patted her breast pocket to check her comlink she realized that it was missing. It must still be in her room where she had used it last. How uncharacteristic of her to forget when she practically carried it around more than she did a blaster.

 _I must really need sleep._

"Thank you notifying me, officer. I'll make my way there now."

He nodded and instead of going his own way like she'd thought, he silently kept two steps behind her. She wanted to insist that she didn't need an escort but realized it might appear better for him if he arrived in time with her, ascertaining that he had been the one to find her and completed his assigned task.

She didn't acknowledge him the entire walk across base until they reached the conference room that she'd been in earlier that morning. The older man swiped a card then stepped aside for her to enter.

The first thing that Leia noted once in the room was that Mon Mothma was missing. Silently she was thankful for that but was curious as to what kept her committee friend from attending.

Admiral Ackbar stopped midway through a discussion with another council member and turned to Leia and the officer to her left. "Ah, Princess Leia, glad that we were able to get ahold of you. I take it you went to see the fighter squadrons departure?"

Leia walked further into the room towards the Mon Calamari. "Yes and accidently left my com. back in my quarters, thus missing your call. I apologize."

He waved a webbed hand at her. "It's nothing too urgent I can assure you, though, I would like your personal opinion on the matter. It's more of a diplomacy subject, really."

Now curious, Leia moved to a seat closer to the head of the table where he stood. The room was near empty compared to what it was that morning. Only a small handful of council members were currently present and Leia assumed that they were all called here specifically.

"Has a new planet grown sympathetic of our cause?"

After Hoth many planets and select senate members secretly recognized their cause and became supportive. The Empire pronounced Hoth to be a major Imperial win and was boosted about on just about every holonet frequency. They held nothing back about their victory and released various images and videos of the battle for the Galaxy to watch as the all mighty Empire wiped the treasonous Rebels clean off the snow banks of Hoth.

General Veers had become a very loathed name within the Alliance ranks following the battle.

"Correct, your highness, and thank the Force that it is so," Ackbar dipped in affirmative and the holoprojection at the center of the table came to life.

It felt like a switch had been flipped within her, Leia let her worrying about Luke and her nightmares all slip away as her political side came to life once more. She focused on the planet in blue pixels before her with new determination.

"This planet presents us with much opportunity," Ackbar started out as Leia eagerly listened. "One of the Empire's major Star Destroyer manufacturer plants is here along with multiple of their resource farming mines."

Leia's brows knitted in thought. "I thought this was a diplomatic matter? Are we targeting these Imperial locations next?" she inquired.

"Eventually, but only if we're given the opportunity to approach without alerting the Empire of our intonations since they rule over the sector. But quite thankfully the natives there are willingly to lend us save passage and provide cover if we help them in return. There's been a dispute between the Governor and the ones who work the mines and the workers have had enough."

Admiral Ackbar turned fully to Leia then. "It has been discussed and agreed on that we send a small, elite party down to the planet to meet with the small Rebel cell that has formed there. The specifics of our future involvement will be fashioned and contracted planet side."

When all the eyes in the room fell on her it wasn't too difficult to figure out whom they wanted to send with the team to hold the diplomatic talks. "You've all voted that I'm the one to go? Are you sure?"

General Rieekan spoke up then. "A large amount of Alderaan citizens who were off world at the time of…"

"The Death Star. I understand completely, General. Go on," Leia spoke up, tired of the subject of her planet's destruction be spoken about so pitifully.

Rieenkan nodded his understanding. "Many of the surviving citizens took to this planet because of the work it provided and their acceptance of them since the Empire refused their entry to other planets." He spoke regretfully. "As their Princess, we hope they will act loyally towards you and your cause."

Leia's fingers balled into fist on her lap. Alderaan had been considered treasonous to the Empire, resulting in its destruction, and those who survived were also labeled as so. Neighboring planets were forced by the Empire to deny her people entry. They became people without a home.

"When do we leave?" Leia said, surprising herself and the room with the sharp tone she carried.

"As soon as we prepare a proper team for your mission, your highness." Admiral Ackbar informed her.

Leia nodded and turned her attention back to the planet in the holoprojection, more than eager to load a shuttle and bury herself in her work again. Luke had his mission and now she had hers, though hers wasn't quite as perilous in comparison.

The planet of Sullust was an obsidian world of lava streams and blistering, un-swimmable turquoise lakes. She'd never been there before, and heard little about it until after the destruction of her home planet, but she couldn't wait to see what they had to offer.

Leia prayed that the Force would be kind to them and let things go smoothly on this planet. The Alliance needed this more than they were willing to admit.

* * *

 **AN:**

Has anyone played _Star Wars Battlefront_? If so then you know what kind of planet this is. The amount of times I died here by the elements is quite embarrassing.


End file.
